Ratchet wrench



Get. 4; 1927, 1,644,079

A w. J. ONElLL I RATCHET WRENCH Filed June 5. 1926 Patented (jet. 4, 1927. i i i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J.- ONEILL, or oHIoAGd LLInors, AssIGNOa 'ro CHICAGO TOOL s -KIT MFG. 00., or OIIIOAGO, ILLIno s, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RATCHET WRENCH.

- Application filed June 5, 1926. Serial No. 113,867.

This invention relates to wrenches of the plate 1.3 serves to retain the head 7 in place ratchet type. by confining the cylindrical portion 11 there- 'The principal object is to provide. an exof in the socket 12. The plate .13 has a cirtremely strong and durable tool of the kind cular opening 15 therein to receive, a cylin- 5 referred to which is, moreover, very simple drical portion 16 provided at the base of the M in construction and economical to manufacshank 9 so that the plate provides a bearing ture, the tool embodying a roller clutch drive for the shank 9. Another opening 17 is proin place of a pawl and ratchet drive or vided in the body 5 at the base/of the socket other equivalents, to afford thedesired in- 1.2 for the reception of'the cylindrical porm creased strength, durability, simplicity and tion' 18 of the shank 8. The plate 13 is reeconomy of manufacture. tained in position by a screw 19 passing Another object is to provide a tool of through an opening in a lug 20 provided on this kind having, shank portions projecting the plate 13. Diametrically opposite from therefrom in opposite directions for alterthe lug 20 is a small semi-circular nib 21, the

)5 native use in the turning of the work in edges of which are beveled, as indicated in either direction, the roller clutch in this case Fig. 2, to'retain the plate in position when affording a drive in either direction with the nib is engaged in the recess 22 drilled at out the instrumentality of complicated and an angle into the handle 6. In this way a expensive forms of mechanisms which are single screw serves to hold the plate 13 in :0 otherwise required in other forms of ratchet position and the matter of assembling the 75 wrenches. wrench is, of course, simplified.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- The periphery of the cylindrical portion panying drawing, where1n' 11 of the head 7 is relieved or cut away to Fig. 1 is a face view of a wrench made in provide a plurality of notches 23 for the re- 25 accordance with my invention, a portion of ception of rollers or pins 24. The one side the plate thereof being broken away to dis- 25 of the notch 23 is made approximately close the parts therebeneath and other parts parallel to the radius of the head 7 and the being shown in dotted lines for the purposes other side 26 is made substantiallyat right of clear illustration; and angles thereto and is thus in converging re- 30 Fig. 2 is a side View of Fig. 1 with the lation to the adjacent sidewall of the socket head end of the wrench appearing in longi: 12. The wall ofthe socket 12 and the sides tudinal section. I i 26 of the notches 23 provide cooperating Th wrench ri s a f rg d body 5 wedging driving surfaces for the rollers 24 providing a handle 6 and a head end for the whereby when the handle 6 is turned counreception f th h d 7, 'Th vl tit i oter clockwise in relation to the head 7 asthe vided with opposed shank or post portion 8 parts are viewed in Fig. 1, the rollers 24 1am and 9 suitably faceted and provided with and turn the head 7 with the handle. It, spring pressed balls 10 projecting from the hqwever, the handle 6 isturned 1n a clockfacetsethereof to hold socket pieces thereon wise direction with relation to the head 7 40 in a manner well understood in the art. So the roller clutch described overruns andthe far as the operation of the wrench is conhead 7 is not turnedwith the handle. Ascerned it is, of course, immaterial as to what sume, for example, that the shank 8 bears a form of tool elements are mounted upon or socket engaged with a nut or other piece of otherwise operated by the head 7, it being work to be turned it will then be obvious that obvious that by suitable modification of the the wrench will progress the nut in a counter tool the same may be adapted forthe turnclockwise direction by successive oscillations ing of drills. taps, reamers, dies and the like. of the handle 6. In the case of a nut hav- The head 7 has a cylindrical portion 11 bearing a right hand thread it is obvious that ing in a cylindrical socket 12 provided in the such operation will loosen the same. If then body 5. The socket 12 opens from one side the socket is removed from the shank 8 and of the handle as shown and is closedby a placed on the shank 9 and the operation just plate 13 fitting in a depression 14 provided referred to repeated, the nut will then be in the side of the handle whereby to lie flush progressedv in a clockwise direction and in with the surface of the handle and present the case of a nut having a right hand thread a neat and workmanlike appearance. The the same would, ofv course, be tightened.

It is found that the roller clutch releases and engages practically as quickly. The wrench can, therefore, be operated to good advantage in a crainper space where only a short handle stroke is possible. This is, of

I by theparticular spacing of the teeth of the ratchetf Aside frorn this advantage the wrench of the present invention is much stronger and more durable than Wrenches of the ratchet type heretofore available. In the ordinary wrench the ratchet discs and pawls had to be replaced frequently due to the friction on the teeth. In this case, however, the rollers orpins take the brunt of the Work and are of a particularly highly resistant steel. In the event they crack or wear out it is a n atter of very little expense and trouble o remove the cover plate and replace l c these parts, thus making the old Wrench as gOOd as new. It will be clear that less parts are used and these are simpler in form than have been used in the past. The initial cost is, therefore, much less and upkeep expense is reduced to a minimum.

It is believed that the foregoing description conveys clear understanding of the invention and of its purposes and advantages so that'any one skilled in the art to which the invention relates will appreciate the possible applications thereof.

' I "cIaiIn':

41. In a tool of the character described a handle having a socket opening from one side of the handle and provided with a conopening through the handle at the of said socket, said, opening being of rfl d iced dia net'er, a tool element having an enlarged'ratchet portion fitting in said socket either torotate therein orJto be turned with said handle, said ratchet portion hav ing coopeizatin'g ratchet elements in said secketfsaid tool element having a reduced shankportion extending'through the afore epening'to have connection with the work, said shank port-ion being cylindrical adjacent the enlarged ratchet portion and bearing closely Within the aforesaid open-' ing,

another reduced shank portion extending from the opposite sides of said enlarged ratchet portion of said tool element on the other side of said handle and arranged for connection with the work, said shank portion being likewise cylindrical adjacent the enlarged ratchet portion to provide a hearing surface, and. a retainingpl'atefor said tool element and the ratchet eleinents disposed therewith in the handle socket, said plate providing an opening to receive the bearing portion on the last inentioned shank portion of said tool elementarid having handle.

In a tool of the character described, a handle having a socket therein opening from one side of the handle, a tool element having an enlarged ratchet portion fittingin said socket either to rotate therein or tobe turned with the handle, said ratchet port-ion having cooperating ratchet elements disposed'therewith in said socket, said tool ele inent having a reduced shank portion'exmeans whereby the same is fastened onto the tending froin the enlarged ratchet portion for coni iection withthe work and a plate for closing said socket to retain th e ratchet portion and its cooperating ratchet elements, said plate having an opening forpassing the plate over. the reducedshank portion, a hold ing nib provided on said plate at one-side thereof, the outer edge of said nib being beveled, said handle having a recess for the reception-of said nib, the side Wall of said recess being inclined to conform, approximately to the bevel of said nib whereby to' hold the plate in position on saidf handle, and a perforated lug provided on said plate on the diametrically opposite side froni the nib and having a fastening screw passing through the opening therein for securing the plate to the handle. a i

In witness of the foregoing I aflix my sig nature.

WILLIAM J. ONEILL. 

